A Locked Heart
by TifaTheMonkVII
Summary: A short story that begins with Cloud and Tifa's first meeting as children and continues on until they meet again in Midgar.
1. Childhood

A Locked Heart.

Nibelhiem was a small town. Not much happened there. Tifa didn't mind it much. She was content with her small group of friends. She was waiting for them outside her house one spring day. She was only 7 but had an adventurous streak and always wanted to explore.

As she sat on her front porch stroking her cat Luna, a boy that looked about her age approached. He seemed a bit shy as he held out a flower. His blonde hair stuck out in spikes. He ducked his head and wouldn't look directly at her as he introduced himself.

"H-hi..." He said quietly, staring at the ground. "My n-name is Cloud."

"Cloud? Like a those puffy white things that float in the sky?" Tifa asked with a bit of a laugh.

The boy ducked his head even more. "Yeah... My name is weird, huh?" He said embarrassedly.

Tifa shook her head. "No! It's not weird. Just different. I like it!" She gave him a smile, hoping he would stop being so shy.

"Y-you like it?" He said raising his head and brightening up a bit.

"Sure!" The girl said. "My name is Tifa! I guess we are neighbors." She said, pointing at his house. They were next door to each other but this was the first time he had ever introduced himself. She had seen him watching her from his window but he would never come out.

"Hey, a bunch of the neighborhood kids are going to the Shinra mansion. Do you want to come along?" She asked as she pointed down the road.

Cloud looked a bit uneasy. "Uh... the big creepy mansion at the end of town? We aren't allowed in there..."

Tifa shrugged. "It's okay. I'm not scared. They say the mansion is haunted. I've heard that a vampire with glowing red eyes sleeps in a coffin in the basement! Isn't that cool?" Tifa looked at him eagerly. "I'd really like it if you came."

Cloud still looked unsure but he gave her a small smile. "You would? O-okay. Sure." He seemed to lighten up a bit. "Let me just grab a flashlight!" He turned around and ran towards his house.

"Cloud!" Tifa called out to him. "I'll wait for you outside the mansion, okay? Oh! And thanks for the flower!"

Cloud looked at her and gave her a bright smile and a nod. "Okay! I'll met you there!" He charged into his house and looked for a flashlight.

When he emerged he made a beeline for the road that ran past the Shinra mansion, but before he could make it, a large boy a couple of years older than him stepped in front and knocked him down.

"Where do you think you're going, loser?" The older boy sneered. Another boy with bright red hair stood next to him. He looked uncomfortable but too afraid to say anything.

"I'm going to the Shinra mansion, Billy." Cloud muttered as he stood back up.

Billy glared at Cloud and shoved him down into the dirt again. "I don't think so! You stay away from Tifa. Tifa is MY friend! I don't want her hanging out with losers like you!"

Cloud hung his head. "S-she invited me to come..." He said quietly.

Billy tossed his head back and laughed. "That's because she doesn't know what a dweeb you are! Isn't that right, Johnny?" Billy turned to the red headed boy and glared at him expectantly. Johnny shrank back from the older boy and with downcast eyes he muttered in agreement. "Y-yeah... a dweeb."

Cloud stared at the ground as tears welled up in his eyes. "Awe... You gonna cry, little Cloud?" Billy mocked. "Go on, cry little rain cloud."

Billy laughed cruelly as he walked away. "Go home, and don't let me catch you talking to Tifa again! Come on, Johnny. Let's go."

Johnny nodded and followed behind Billy silently.

Cloud sniffed and picked up the flashlight that had rolled away from him as he was shoved, and went home with head bowed.

...

Tifa paced back and forth in front of the mansion. What was taking Cloud so long? Two other girls sat on the steps on the mansion as well.

"I see Billy and Johnny coming this way!" Said one of the girls. Tifa looked up as saw the two boys approaching. "Do you see Cloud?" Tifa asked.

"Cloud? You mean that weird boy that lives next door to you?" One of the girls said.

"Yeah. He's not weird! He's just a little shy, that's all." Tifa said a bit defensively.

"Cloud couldn't make it." Billy said with a hint of a smirk. "He said he was too scared, right Johnny?"

Johnny shuffled his feet in the dirt and didn't make eye contact with anyone. "Er... Yeah. He said he was too scared."

Tifa frowned with disappointment. "Really? That's too bad. He seemed excited when I talked to him. I wanted him to come..."

"Oh forget about that guy, Tifa. Let's just go!" Billy said pointing at the looming mansion in front of them. The small group of children snuck into a hole in the brick wall that surrounded the impressive mansion. Tifa's brown eyes were wide with wonder as they cautiously opened the front door and slipped inside.

It was much larger inside than she had thought. The main room had staircases that lead to other rooms in the mansion. Thick cobwebs hung from the crystal chandelier that was suspended above them.

Tifa looked at her friends and could see that they looked a bit rattled.

"We could get lost in here..." Johnny said in a small voice.

"Oh don't be such a scaredy cat or you can stay behind with Cloud." Billy ridiculed.

Tifa switched on her flashlight and headed for a staircase that lead to a series of other rooms.

The two other girls followed cautiously behind, barely daring to breath as they shrunk away from shadows that danced on the walls.

Tifa found a room with a mysterious stairway that lead downwards.

"This must be the way to the basement..." She said in a hushed voice. "Do you think it's true? The stories about the vampire that lives in the basement?"

"I don't know about this, Tifa..." The older girl named Julie said. "It's so dark down there. Maybe this isn't such a good idea."

Tifa shrugged. "Oh come on! Where is your sense of adventure? Let's go!" She started down the steps. The old boards creaked and groaned with every footstep. Rebecca, the younger girl let out a shrill shriek when she walked into a thick mass of old cobwebs.

"Ew!! Ewww!!! I hate spiders!!" Rebecca shook her head violently to rid herself of the sticky mess.

Tifa put a finger to her lips. "Shhh!! Keep quiet! Don't wake up the vampire!" She chided.

The the winding spiral staircase ended in an underground tunnel with rocky walls. Tifa's flashlight shone up on the ceiling and showed rows of bats hanging upside down.

Johnny's face went pale. "B-bats?! You never said there would be bats here!"

Billy was clearly shaken as well, but not wanting to lose face in front of Tifa, straightened his back and put on a brave air. "Oh suck it up, Johnny."

Tifa, unfazed continued down the damp dark tunnel. She stopped in front of a large wooden door. She tried to open the door but it was locked shut.

"I wonder if we can pick the lock?" Tifa wondered aloud.

"Let's not..." Julie said in a whimper. "Let's get out of here."

Rebecca shined her flashlight around frantically, as if she would see a monster jump out at her. As she turned around, a massive spider crawled down the wall just inches from her face.

Rebecca let out a bloodcurdling scream, that echoed down the tunnel. The scream disturbed the bats suspended on the ceiling, causing them to flap around in the tunnel, swooping around the group of children.

"Get it off me! Get it off!!" Johnny yelped as a bat clung to his shirt.

As pandemonium exploded in the tunnel, the large wooden door in front of Tifa slowly began to open, creaking on it's old hinges. Tifa shone her flashlight at it and watched in stunned silence as a tall thin figure stood in the doorway and peered at the group of children that had disturbed his slumber.

The figure was a man with long black hair, wrapped in a ragged scarlet cloak that covered most of his youthful face. Two ruby red eyes peered from behind ebony locks of hair. He stared silently at the children.

Tifa felt her heart skip a beat. "He's real..." She said in a hushed voice. "The stories are true..."

When the other children stopped running from the bats, they froze in place as they gazed at the looming form in the doorway.

"Eeeeeaaaaahhhh!!!" Julie and Rebecca screamed and ran as fast as they could towards the stairs, with Billy and Johnny not far behind.

Tifa ran after them but not as fast, she looked behind her a few times to glance at the "vampire". He didn't look angry, he looked tired... and melancholy.

The children charged up the rickety stairs and into the room above panting and wheezing.

"The vampire! He's real! He's really really there! He's..." Johnny stopped to gasp for air.

Billy stood stiff as a board, unable to say anything tough sounding.

Tifa was the last up the stairs. "You know... he's not as scary as I thought he would be. He looked almost... sad." She said thoughtfully.

"I wanna go home, Tifa." Rebecca said fretfully. "My parents will be worried." Julie nodded in agreement. "Yeah let's get out of here."

Tifa nodded and headed out of the room towards the main hall. As she walked she took out the flower Cloud had given her, from her pocket and looked at it.

"That's a pretty flower." Julie commented as she looked over Tifa's shoulder. "Where did you get it?"

Tifa gave her a small smile. "Cloud gave it to me."

Julie and Rebecca exchanged glances and smirked. "Oooooooh Tifa has a boyfriend" Rebecca said in a singsongy voice.

Tifa's cheeks flushed bright pink and she shook her head vigorously. "No I don't!"

"Yes you dooooo!" Julie remarked back. "Only boyfriends give girls flowers. He likes you." She laughed.

Julie and Rebecca laughed and started to chant "Tifa and Cloud, sitting in a tree, K.i.s.s.i.n.g!"

Tifa covered her face in embarrassment. "Stop it, you guys!"

Billy watched the girls from afar with burning jealousy. How dare that little twerp give Tifa a flower?!

Tifa ran out of the mansion and gave one last look behind her. So the stories about the vampire were true... She wondered how much else was true? Had a mad scientist really created monsters in the basement? Had a man really been shot and killed there?

Tifa waved goodbye to her friends and made her way home. It was doubtless her father would lecture her for being gone for so long. As she walked up the steps to her home, she glanced over at the house next door and looked at the upstairs room, and saw Cloud peeking at her from behind his curtains. She gave him a wave but he closed the curtains quickly as if to hide. Tifa shrugged and entered her house. That Cloud was a strange boy.

...


	2. Falling

A year had gone by, and Tifa was now 8 years old. Life continued on as normal in the quiet little mountain town. Everything was normal except in the Lockhart home.

Tifa stood by her mother's bed and furrowed her brow. Her mother had gotten sick and was showing no signs of improvement, in fact, she seemed to be getting worse.

"Tifa..." Her mother said in a soft voice. "You should go play outside, sweetheart. Get some fresh air."

Tifa shook her head. "No, momma. I can't. Not until you are better."

"You are so stubborn. Just like your father." She gently chided. Her mother began to cough violently, and her father rushed to her side. "Drink some water." He said, putting a glass up to her mouth.

Tifa sat by the window and looked outside. A group of her friends were gathered there, peering up at the window.

"Come outside, Tifa!" Julie called.

Tifa simply shook her head and returned her gaze to her mother. Her mother's brown eyes that usually sparkled with laughter were dull with pain. Her skin was pale and she looked thin. It hurt Tifa's heart to see her mother like this. She laid her head on her mothers arm and closed her eyes, hoping to shut out the terrible sight.

...

Cloud gazed hopelessly at Tifa's window. He hadn't seen her for days. Sometimes if he waited long enough, he could hear her playing her piano. She was still learning and often made mistakes but he didn't care. He thought the sound of her playing was the most beautiful sound in the world and would often sit on his porch and listen to her for hours.

He looked at the group of children waiting outside her house. They were laughing and joking about stupid things again. Didn't they understand? Couldn't they see something was wrong with Tifa? Even though Billy had moved away during the summer, Cloud still couldn't bring himself to approach the other children. He found himself scowling at the group. He stood up and with a disgusted grunt, he walked back into his house.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" His mother asked, as he walked in. "You are still worried about the Lockhart girl aren't you?"

Cloud nodded wordlessly and sat down at the table with a huff and stared at the floor. What could he do? Tifa wasn't talking to anyone, not even her friends, why would she talk to him? If only she would notice him...

...

The following day Tifa sat on the floor with her face buried in her hands. Her friends were gathered around with worried expressions on their faces. Tifa's mother had passed away in the night. Tifa had spent the day crying. Her father had hoped that the presence of friends might help her, but Tifa in her grief barely even acknowledged that they were there.

"Hey... Cloud's coming." One of the boys said pointing out the window. Tifa raised her head for a brief moment and saw the boy with the spiky blonde hair running up to the house. Tifa lowered her head again. All she could think about was her mother, nothing else mattered right now.

"They say the spirits of those who die pass through Mt. Nibel before joining the Lifestream." Tifa said, finally breaking her long silence. "I have to go see her. I have to see momma."

Cloud quietly walked into her room and stood afar from the others, with blue eyes fixated on Tifa.

Tifa finally stood up. "I am going to climb Mt. Nibel and go see momma. You can come with me if you want, but I don't care if I go alone. I have to see her again!" Tifa's voice shook with emotion but her brown eyes were filled with determination. Without another word she charged out of the room and headed outside.

Cloud, along with a small group of neighborhood boys eager to impress Tifa ran after her, following her out of town and onward to the winding path that lead up the mountains. As the path grew more difficult, some of the boys began to lose heart. They turned around and headed back home, but not Cloud. He followed behind faithfully, keeping a close eye on Tifa.

Tifa glanced behind her and saw that the group that had followed her had diminished and only that strange boy that lived next door remained. It didn't matter, she would continue on even if it meant going alone. She had to see her mother again.

She hesitated as she stepped foot on a rickety rope bridge that crossed a chasm. It looked like it hadn't been repaired since the Mako Reactor had been placed on the mountain. Tifa took a deep breath and stepped forward anyways, she started across and gripped the rope tightly and Cloud stepped on it, following behind her. They had barely begun to cross when the bridge gave out from under them, the ropes snapping and the bridge swinging wildly as it dropped the children several feet onto a rocky ledge.

...

Cloud felt his breath get knocked out of him as he made contact with the ledge. His head was spinning and his ears rung as he sat up. He looked down and saw blood seeping out of scrapes on his knees. In a panic he looked over at Tifa and saw her laying motionless, face down just feet away from him. His heart dropped like a stone. Was she dead? Cloud felt the blood rush to his head and he lay down, on the verge of passing out.

The next thing he knew he was being shaken awake. He opened his eyes to see Tifa's father glaring down at him.

"What were you thinking?! Why did you bring Tifa out here? She could die!" His voice shook with pain and anger. Cloud shrunk away from the angry man.

"It's bad enough I've lost my wife, now I could lose my daughter too!" Tifa's father said shaking with emotion. "You stay away from my daughter! Do you hear me?!"

Cloud nodded with downcast eyes. This was all his fault. If only he were stronger, he could have saved Tifa. If only he could have stopped them from falling. Would Tifa die because of him? Some men from the village scooped him up and began to carry him out of the valley and back to town. Cloud glanced over at Tifa who was being carried as well. Her form limp like a rag doll. He felt a lump in his throat as he looked at her.

...

"Cloud what were you thinking, following after her! I could have lost you!" Cloud's mother fretted as she cleaned and bandaged his knees. "It's dangerous out there! You could have died..." She sounded on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry, mom..." Cloud said in a quiet voice. "If only I had been stronger..."

His mother gave him a hug and used a warm washcloth to wipe his tears away. "None if it is your fault. Mr. Lockhart is being unreasonable to blame you for this. He's just lashing out because of his loss, but don't ever blame yourself for this. There was nothing you could have done. Tifa is a strong willed little girl, she would have gone regardless if you had followed her or not." His mother said firmly.

"Is Tifa going to be okay?" Cloud asked urgently.

Cloud's mother hesitated for a moment. "I'm not sure. She's in a coma..." She said quietly. "But whatever happens, it's not your fault. Please remember that."

Cloud nodded but he still felt responsible. He stood up and walked silently to his room. His room faced Tifa's window. He would often look at her window hoping to get a glimpse of her walking by. He stared intently at her window but knew deep down he wouldn't see her. She was in a coma, would she ever wake up?


	3. The Promise

Seven days passed before Tifa began to wake out of her coma. Cloud wanted so badly to see her, but her father kept him away. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was but he couldn't even approach her.

Things seemed different now. Tifa didn't seem to want to talk to anyone anymore. She was pushing everyone away, including her group of friends. She was usually so cheerful, but the light that twinkled in her brown eyes had dimmed. It hurt Cloud to see her like this.

He sat down on his porch as stared hopelessly at the ground. What could he do? He glanced at the newspaper that was placed on the doorstep. On the front cover was the image of a boy a few years older than him in a SOLDIER uniform. He had long silver hair and piercing green eyes.

"Sephiroth becomes war hero as Wutai battle rages on" the headline read. Cloud felt a surge of excitement course through him. That was what he needed! He could join SOLDIER! He could be a hero, then he would always be strong enough to protect Tifa. Surely she would notice him if he were a war hero like Sephiroth!

Invigorated with a new sense of purpose, Cloud grabbed the newspaper and ran inside. He was too young to join just yet, but one day he would leave town and become a hero.

...

Tifa wandered outside of her house. It had only been a month since she had woken from her coma. Her father was reluctant to let her out of his sight but finally relented after Tifa promised she wouldn't be gone for more than an hour.

She passed by Cloud's house and saw him sitting on his porch, staring at her. When he noticed her looking at him he quickly looked away, his face flushing ever so slightly. She approached him slowly, glancing at her house, to make sure her father didn't see her.

"Hi Cloud." She said quietly. "I'm really sorry about my dad. I know you were just trying to help me. I tried telling him that it wasn't your fault but he won't listen."

Cloud looked up at her, his face still flushed. "I-I'm sorry too." He stammered. "If I had been stronger, maybe I could have stopped you from falling."

"Tifa!" A mans voice yelled from the Lockhart home. "Come here!" He said sharply.

Tifa flinched. "Uh oh... That's my dad. I'd better go." She said giving Cloud a little wave. She ran over to her house, leaving Cloud with a dreamy far-off look in his eyes.

"She talked to me..." He murmured to himself. He stayed on the porch for several minutes more, with his thoughts racing a mile a minute.

Later that afternoon, he headed to the general store in the middle of town. His mother had sent him to pick up a dozen eggs. He stopped I front of one of the shop windows and saw a recruitment poster for Shin-Ra.

"Forget it, kid." A voice sneered behind him. "They only let the best of the best into SOLDIER. You don't stand a chance."

Cloud whirled around to face the boy who was mocking him. He clenched his jaw. He knew it upset his mother when he fought, and he had been getting into quite a lot of fights lately. He just couldn't help it. He couldn't stand the other boys. Their stupid jokes, how they always excluded him. He hated how they crowded around Tifa and kept her from paying any attention to him. He knew it was wrong, but he was tired of being alone. Maybe this was the only way to get any respect. He swung his fist right into the boy's face, knocking him backwards. The boy's eyes flew open with surprise, blood dripping from his busted lip, but he got back up and readied his fists to swing back at Cloud.

"That is not how we use our fists, young man." An elderly man with gentle eyes and a strong jaw walked over to the brawling boys. He grabbed each boy by the collar and pried them apart.

"Cloud, I'm disappointed in you. You could make a good fighter some day, but not like this. Not for petty disagreements." The elderly man scolded.

"I'm sorry, Master Zangan." Cloud muttered. Master Zangan was a martial arts master who had hundreds of students all around the world. He had shown some interest in training some of the children in Nibelheim. He had a commanding presence, but a gentle demeanor towards his students.

"Go on home, young Cloud." Zangan said firmly. "And remember what I have told you."

Cloud nodded and scampered towards his house. Did Master Zangan mean it? Did he have the makings of a good fighter?

...

As the years passed by, many of the boys in the small country town began to leave to look for jobs in the city. Midgar was a massive metropolis, that promised a lot of opportunities.

There was a going away party for some of the boys that were leaving that night. The whole of Nibelheim would be gathered in the town square, with music, dancing and food. Lights had been strung along the roofs of the buildings, and tables had been set up, laden with food prepared by the locals.

Cloud wandered aimlessly as the townsfolk mingled around him. He scanned the crowd for the one person he wanted to talk to. Finally he saw her, dancing happily with one of the boys that was leaving town. She was wearing a sky blue sundress that hugged her newly developing curves in a way that made the blood rush to Cloud's cheeks and made his heart pound. He sat down in front of the gate to the Shinra Mansion, at the edge of the festivities and watched Tifa as she said her goodbyes to her friends.

...

Tifa was beginning to tire. It seemed as if all the boys wanted a turn to dance with her. She began to look for a place to sit down and rest for a moment, when she felt the sensation of eyes staring intently at her. She turned and saw Cloud sitting some distance away, piercing blue eyes fixated on her. Tifa smiled at him and gave him a little wave, to which Cloud turned away, as if feeling guilty that he had been caught gawking.

Tifa took a quick look around to make sure her father wasn't around and made her way over to him.

"Hey, Cloud." She said sitting next to him. "Why are you sitting over here all by yourself?"

"I... I'm not really friends with any of those people." Cloud said, giving the back of his head an awkward scratch. "Also I don't know how to dance."

Tifa gave him a light nudge. "That's okay. I can teach you." She stood up and reached her hand out. "Come on. Dance with me."

Cloud felt his eyes widen in surprise. "You are asking me to dance?" He said breathlessly.

Tifa gave him a warm smile. "Of course! Don't worry, my dad isn't around." She said, grasping his hand and leading him towards the music.

Cloud allowed Tifa to guide his hands and followed her movements. He didn't care much for dancing but being this close to her made it all worthwhile. He felt the rest of the world blur and fade away as his focus on her intensified. He gazed at her face and studied it as she continued to instruct him. He noticed that when the light hit her eyes just right, her brown eyes had a red tint. It was something he had never noticed before. It seemed like the longer he stared, the more beautiful she became. He realized a little too late that he wasn't paying attention to what he was doing and tripped over his own feet.

"No...not like that, Cloud." Tifa laughed. "You gotta focus on where you are putting your feet, silly."

All to soon, the song ended and the dance was over. Cloud felt disappointment jab him as soon as Tifa released his hand.

"You did pretty good for your first time." Tifa said warmly. "Thanks for dancing with me. That was fun."

Cloud nodded. "Y-yeah. Thanks. I had fun too." As Tifa turned to leave Cloud reached out for her hand. "Uh...wait! I have something to ask you."

Tifa turned and gave him a puzzled look. "Yes? What is it?"

Cloud looked at his feet and shuffled uncomfortably. "Can you meet me tonight at the well? I have something important to tell you."

Tifa tilted her head in curiosity.

"Um... Sure! I'll meet you there. What time?"

Cloud scratched the back of his head. "Midnight." He said. That was all Cloud could muster. He turned and ran towards his house, heart pounding like a drum. He couldn't believe it, she agreed to meet him at the well. This was it! He was finally going to tell her his big plan! She'd have to notice him now.

Tifa watched her next door neighbor run inside of his house. What had gotten into him? He got into a lot of fights with the neighborhood boys, but he seemed so sweet when he talked to her. Such a strange boy, but a bit charming in his own way.

...

The night sky was crystal clear, with the vast array of stars glittering like billions of fireflies. Cloud was sitting on the wooden platform that surrounded the well. This was a popular date site for young couples in Nibelheim. Cloud blushed at the thought of Tifa meeting him here, alone. Nothing to distract her. He shivered and regretted not bringing a coat with him. As the night drew on he got colder. What if she didn't show up? Had she forgotten? What if she was still asleep?

...

Tifa paced in her room nervously. She had never snuck out of the house like this before, she knew her father would be livid if he knew that she was going to meet a boy... Especially if he knew it was Cloud.

She poked her head out of her bedroom door cautiously, listening for the telltale sign that her father was asleep. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard his loud snoring down the hall. She tiptoed out of her room and out the front door. She would have to hurry,she was a bit late. She hoped he was still there.

She made her way through the sleeping town. There was something almost magical how the stars lit up the whole sky. She climbed the wooden platform and peeked around the well to see Cloud sitting there quietly.

"Cloud?" She called quietly out to him. "I'm sorry I'm late."

Cloud turned to face her, a smile spreading across his face.

Tifa bit her bottom lip. She noted that she hadn't seen Cloud smile like that very often. He had a sweet smile.

"You said you wanted to talk to me about something?" Tifa asked.

"Come this spring... I'm leaving town for Midgar." Cloud said glancing down at his hands.

"All the boys are leaving town." Tifa said, swinging her feet over the edge of the platform.

"I'm different from them. I'm not just going to find a job. I want to join SOLDIER. I'm going to be the best there is, just like Sephiroth." Cloud said standing up and standing next to her.

"Sephiroth...The great Sephiroth?" Tifa said, her eyes widening. The thought of someone from her hometown becoming a war hero like Sephiroth was certainly exciting. Cloud climbed up to stand on top of the well.

"Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?" Tifa asked, gazing up at him.

Cloud seemed to pause for a moment. "... I probably won't be able to come back to town for awhile."

Tifa giggled as she thought of something. She looked out into the distance as if envisioning the future.

Cloud gave her a curious glance. "...Huh?"

"If you make it... Will you be in the newspapers?" Tifa asked.

"I'll try." Cloud said, smiling at the thought of being on the front page of the newspaper. There was no way she wouldn't notice him then.

Tifa turned her head to gaze up at him once again. "Hey, let's make a promise. Ummm... If you get really famous, and I'm ever in a bind, you'll come save me, all right?"

Cloud's breath caught in his throat. "What?" Had he heard her correctly? She wanted to make a promise with him?

Tifa looked down at her feet, her voice getting a bit quieter. "If I'm ever in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me... I want to experience that at least once."

Cloud sat down as he thought about the implications. "What?" He repeated.

Tifa gazed at him and smiled warmly. "Come on! Promise me!"

Cloud nodded and smiled back at her. "All right...I promise."

Tifa stayed staring at the sky as a shooting star streaked across the sky. She felt excited but also a bit sad. Cloud would be leaving. True it wasn't as if they were all that close, but it would be strange to walk by his house and not see him sitting on his porch.

Cloud and Tifa stayed at the well for a few more minutes in silence. Tifa started to shiver before long. Her blue dress wasn't doing a very good job of keeping her warm.

"I should head home." She said quietly. She looked over at the boy that had grown up next door to her and couldn't help but feel a deeper sense of respect for him. She was sure he could accomplish his goals. She could see the determination in his eyes.

"Good luck, Cloud. I'll be cheering you on. Good night." Tifa stood up and clambered down the platform and made her way back home.

Cloud watched her as she left and felt his heart swell like a ballon, ready to burst. This night would be a night he would remember for the rest of his life. He had a promise to keep. He would miss her when he eventually would have to leave, but he would return to her a hero. Then maybe she would take notice of him. She would know he wasn't like the other boys... he would stand apart. Maybe even her father would give him a chance.


	4. Teenage Dream

"So Cloud is joining SOLDIER, huh?" Johnny asked. Johnny was sitting across from Tifa on the steps in front of the local item shop. Tifa had been talking about Cloud's plans to join SOLDIER all day. Johnny felt a tinge of jealousy. If only he had thought of joining. Johnny had never been a brave person. He had allowed himself to be made a stooge of Billy, the town bully when he was younger. Even now, years after Billy had moved away, Johnny still couldn't seem to gain any courage. Tifa was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen but it seemed she was always out of reach. Now listening to her gush about Cloud was hurtful in a way. Even Cloud had managed to get Tifa's attention before him.

"How cool would it be to have someone from our hometown make it big in SOLDIER?!" Tifa said excitedly, her brown eyes twinkling.

"That would be pretty cool." Johnny nodded half heartedly.

Tifa looked at him curiously. "What's wrong? You seem upset."

Johnny shook his head and gave her a weak smile. "I'm alright. I heard my parents talking last night. It seems that they want to move to Midgar as well."

Tifa frowned. "Everyone is leaving me behind." She said a bit sadly.

Johnny crossed his arms. "Hey, we can still write to each other." He managed a bigger smile.

Tifa nodded, brightening up a bit. "Hey, you're right! Just because you move doesn't mean we have to stop being friends."

...

Cloud stood in front of the mirror, a pair of scissors in hand. He had a ponytail for as long as he could remember, but if he wanted to make an impression, perhaps it was time for a change. With a few snipes, blonde strands of hair fell onto the floor, and just like that, the boyish ponytail was gone.

"Time to be a man." Cloud straightened in front of the mirror. It was almost time for him to leave town. He was excited, but also a bit sad at the same time. He wouldn't get to see his mother for a long time. He would also miss seeing Tifa, but it would be all worth it if he could make it into SOLDIER. He turned around to see his mother watching him, tears welling in her eyes.

"My little boy is growing up." She said quietly. Normally such a show of affection would embarrass Cloud, but today was different. He knew he wouldn't see her again for many months, so he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"I'll make you proud, mom." He said determinedly. With that, he picked up his small suitcase, with all his belongings and walked out the front door before he changed his mind.

As he left his house, he gave one last glance at Tifa's house. She was standing on her porch with a bright smile, watching him. Was that a sad expression on her face? Could it be that she cared enough about him to miss him? No... he must be imagining it. When their eyes met, her face brightened and that beautiful smile that melted him like ice cream on a summer afternoon spread across her face.

"Good luck, Cloud!" She called out to him. "I believe in you. I know you'll do really well."

Cloud felt his heart swell once again. If Tifa believed in him, there was nothing that would stand in his way. No matter what, he would keep his promise to her. He would return to her, a hero. He would be someone worthy of her attention... her affection. He gave her a wave and climbed into the chocobo drawn carriage that would take him to the port in Costal Del Sol. From there he would take a small ship to Junon then on to Midgar.

...

"Dad! Has the newspaper arrived yet?" Tifa called downstairs to her father. It had been 3 months since Cloud had left for Midgar, and every day, Tifa checked the newspapers religiously for any mention of a young man from Nibelhiem joining the ranks of SOLDIER.

Tifa's father was sitting at the breakfast table holding the morning paper in his hand. "You sure have taken an interest in the newspaper. You used to never read it, what's gotten into you?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Oh it's nothing, I just want to see what's going on in the world." Tifa tried to appear nonchalant. She reached for the paper and scoured every page, but to her disappointment, there was nothing about Cloud in it. She tossed the paper back down on the table and headed out the door. She would have to hurry to make it to her training session with Master Zangan on time.

Shortly after Cloud had left, Tifa had been approached by the martial arts master. He seemed disappointed that Cloud had left. "A pity that boy's talents will be wasted for Shin-Ra. I could have made an excellent fighter out of him." She remembered him saying. "You, young Tifa have the talent as well. I'd be willing to teach you, if you are ready."

Tifa had gladly excepted. As exciting as having a blonde SOLDIER come and rescue her from a dangerous situation, she also wanted to be able to fight, herself. It would do no good to wait around forever for her hero to come sweep her off her feet.

"Young Tifa, are you ready to begin?" Master Zangan asked, as he positioned himself opposite of her in the small training dojo.

Tifa bowed respectfully to her Sensei and took a deep breath, clearing her mind as she had been taught many times. "I'm ready, Master."

She was not ready, however. Master Zangan threw a punch that she should have been able to avoid easily. The punch landed on her left shoulder, knocking her backwards onto the mat. Her Master shook his head.

"You are not focused, Tifa" Zangan scolded. "You seem distracted lately. Is there something on your mind?"

Tifa cursed herself for letting her thoughts drift again. She couldn't understand it. Why was it so hard for her to focus? She found herself contemplating about her mysterious next door neighbor yet again. Ever since he had left town, she couldn't stop thinking about him. It was starting to become a problem.

"I'm sorry, Master. It won't happen again." Tifa bowed once again and returned to her fighting stance.

Zangan gave her a stern look. "You are a good fighter, Tifa. You must keep your mind clear. Watch your opponents movements, and anticipate. You will never be caught off guard if you do."

Tifa zeroed in on Master Zangan and when he was about to strike, she ducked down, gripping the older man's arm and judo flipped him onto the mat with a grunt.

Zangan beamed at his student proudly. "Much better, young one. Much better."

...

Tifa continued to train daily, learning new fighting techniques every day, but she also wanted a job. She was ready to get out and have some independence.

Shortly after turning 15, against her father's wishes she became a mountain guide. Her daily martial arts training had made her quite fit, and she was eager to prove to her father that she could handle being in the mountains.

"I don't like the idea of you wandering around by yourself, Tifa." Her father muttered. "You fell and almost died up there."

"Papa, I was 8 years old. I can handle myself now, okay? Stop worrying about me." Tifa sighed. "I'll be okay. I know what I'm doing."

"What about the monsters that are up there? I'm sure that Mako reactor has something to do with it." Tifa's father grumbled. "I hope Shin-Ra does something about it soon. It's only a matter of time before the monsters start causing problems for us here in town."

...

Tifa walked up the stairs to her bedroom and glanced at the stack of letters sitting on it. Most of the letters where from Johnny. He was living in Midgar now, and often asked how she was doing. Tifa let out a heavy sigh. She wished at least one of these letters could have been from Cloud. She wanted to know if he had made it. Of course he had! Maybe that's why he couldn't write. He was busy being a hero.

She had been told that Shin-Ra was sending in a special team to take care of the local monster problem. Could Cloud be one of them? Or perhaps someone would know about him?

Either way, she would have a hard time sleeping tonight, thinking of all the things she wanted to say to him.

...

Cloud groaned as the truck carrying him and the rest of the special task force up the rocky mountain road to Nibelheim. His motion sickness was acting up again, and he fought the urge to hurl. He glanced over at Zack Fair. Zack was a bright young man with jet black hair, a SOLDIER First Class that he had become friends with. One of the very first friends he had ever had. Zack was doing squats and chatting excitedly with another young man that Cloud had deep admiration for... Sephiroth. Under different circumstances, this would have been a dream senario. He was returning home, accompanied by his best friend and his idol. He could see his mother and Tifa again. It wasn't like that now though. Instead of excitement, Cloud felt shame. He had failed. He was not returning home a hero, for he was nothing more than a lowly infantryman. He was the bottom rung on the ladder. Tifa could never see him like this. She had believed in him and he had let her down. How could he face her now? He wouldn't be able to keep his promise to her.

As the truck rolled to a stop, the back door opened and Sephiroth stood, with his usual calm demeanor and gestured for the team to follow him.

Cloud let out a sigh and followed Zack and one other infantryman out of the truck and walked up the path to the towns entrance.

Sephiroth paused at the entrance and turned to Cloud. "How does it feel? It's your first time back to your hometown in a long time, right?" Sephiroth glanced around the town with piercing green eyes. "So how does it feel? I wouldn't know... because I don't have a hometown."

Cloud felt awkward being put on the spot like this. He gave the back of his head a scratch. "Ummm... What about your parents?"

Sephiroth brought a hand to his chin in thought. "My mother is Jenova. She died shortly after giving birth to me. My father..." Sephiroth began to laugh, but it wasn't a lighthearted laugh. There was something about it that unnerved Cloud, he wasn't sure why. Sephiroth regained his composure and waved dismissively. "Why am I talking about this? Let's go."

As Cloud followed, he gazed around the familiar sights... and that's when he saw her.

Tifa Lockhart, the girl he had been thinking nonstop about ever since he left, was approaching them. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. She had really grown up in the time since he had last seen her. She looked to be quite fit, her toned abdomen exposed with the outfit she was wearing. He felt his eyes being drawn to certain parts of her that had... developed quite well. He was grateful in more ways than one for the mask covering his face. He was sure the heat that had rushed to his cheeks would have been quite obvious.

To make matters worse, she was wearing a very revealing cowgirl outfit that had made his mouth drop open and was causing him to squirm. He noticed Zack peering at him curiously. He looked from Tifa to Cloud and a knowing smirk spread across his face.

"Not bad, huh?" Zack elbowed Cloud teasingly. "Why don't you go talk to her?"

Cloud shook his head. No way. There was no way he would show himself to her now. Never. He'd die from the humiliation, he was sure of it. Oh, what he would give to be in SOLDIER. He wanted to talk to her so bad it hurt, but not like this.

...

Tifa approached the group. She felt a bit nervous approaching the group, Sephiroth was much more imposing in person than she had anticipated. He smiled at her as she approached but there was a coldness to it that sent shivers down her spine. She studied the group and saw another man in a SOLDIER uniform. He was much more friendly looking, with black hair and blue eyes that had that strange glow, infamous of those who joined SOLDIER. Tifa felt disappointment prick her heart as she realized Cloud was not among them. Maybe he was on another mission?

"Are you one of the SOLDIER people that's come to investigate?"

Zack turned to her and gave her a bright smile. " Yeah, my name is Zack, and I'm with SOLDIER. First Class, mind you. First Class!"

Tifa brought her hand to her chin thoughtfully."Huh..."

Zack raised a brow. "What do you mean 'Huh'?"

"Are there a lot of Soldiers first class?" Tifa asked.

Zack shook his head. "Nope. We are a small elite group."

Tifa felt her heart sink. "So they only sent two?"

"Yeah, Just me and Sephiroth." Zack gestured to the tall silver haired man behind him.

"Uh-huh..." Tifa said quietly. She turned her back to the group. He really wasn't here. Without another word, she ran off out of sight. She couldn't understand it, but she felt like crying.

...

Cloud watched her talk with Zack. How he wished for just one minute he could talk to her as easily as Zack did. He was so confident, and easy going. If only he had made it into SOLDIER. If he had made it, that could have been him talking to Tifa. He wouldn't have to be hiding behind a mask in shame.

He watched in anguish as she ran off, and Zack shook his head.

"Weird girl." Zack muttered.

Was she looking for him? Had she expected to see him there? He could only dream that she still thought about him.

Sephiroth gathered the group in front of the local inn and addressed them. "We depart for the reactor at dawn. Make sure you get plenty if sleep. Only one of you needs to keep watch. Make sure you get some rest as well."

Sephiroth then turned to Cloud. "Ah, that's right. You have permission to go visit family and friends if you wish." With that, Sephiroth entered the inn leaving the group to disperse.

Zack turned to Cloud with a questioning smile. "Nibelhiem huh? Hey... Why are you wearing your mask?"

Cloud shook his head. "It's... personal." He didn't want to talk about it right now. Maybe not ever.

"Weirdo." Zack said teasingly. "Suit yourself. I'm gonna go kick back. I'll catch ya later." Zack sauntered off leaving Cloud with his churning thoughts.

...


	5. Longing

Tifa wandered aimlessly into the wooded area by the town. She felt sad and disappointed. True, her and Cloud weren't all that close but she realized in that moment how much she wanted to see him. Perhaps it was true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Her thoughts drifted to the last time she had spent time with him before he left. They had gone to the creek together and tossed pebbles into the water, talking about what they wanted to do when they grew up. Cloud had so many plans, becoming a SOLDIER, a hero, maybe even moving to Midgar. Tifa realized how small her dreams were in comparison. She wanted a quiet life, maybe opening her own shop in Nibelhiem. She enjoyed cooking, perhaps a restaurant? She was unsure. Cloud's dreams impressed her for sure. She saw that gleam of determination in his sky blue eyes and knew his words weren't empty.

Tifa sighed as she was brought out of her memories. Perhaps it was time for her to leave Nibelhiem as well.

...

Cloud quietly slipped into Tifa's empty house. Tifa was off somewhere and her father was busy talking to Sephiroth in the Shin-Ra mansion. Cloud wondered if he was making a mistake sneaking into her house like this, but he couldn't resist the urge. He walked up the stairs to Tifa's room, his heart pounding in his chest. As he entered her room, he removed his helmet. It felt good to take the heavy thing off. He wandered over to her piano, that same piano that he had spent many hours of his childhood listening to. There was one melody in particular that he remembered Tifa playing. It was beautiful and sad but it had a triumphant undertone that stuck with him. He carefully placed his hands on the keys and played the song he had heard so many times, drifting from Tifa's window. He remembered it perfectly.

After the song was finished, Cloud wandered over to Tifa's desk. Part of him felt guilty for snooping, but curiosity got the better of him. On the desk were stacks of letters most of them were from Johnny. A pang of jealousy gripped Cloud's chest. Why hadn't he been the one sending letters to Tifa? "Because I'm a coward..." Cloud muttered aloud to himself. What would he tell her? That he was a failure? That he didn't make it into SOLDIER? That he wouldn't be able to keep their promise?

Cloud wandered over to Tifa's dresser and heat rushed to his face as impure thoughts entered his adolescent mind. He wondered if he could just take a peek... No one would ever know. He opened her undergarment drawer and blushed again. What would she think if she caught him up here like this? Would she think he was a creep, or worse, a stalker? Cloud shut the drawer and shook his head.

"I've gotta get out of here." He muttered and rushed out of her room. Perhaps it was time to see his mother. He put his helmet back on and slipped out of the Lockhart home and paused in front of his own home. He took out his phone and sent an email to Zack. It would be much easier to face his mother if he didn't have to do it alone.

After sending the email inviting his his friend to dinner, Cloud paced back and forth, but after no reply Cloud gave up. Maybe Zack was busy. First Class SOLDIER stuff, probably. Cloud let out a disappointed sigh and walked into his house.

"Oh, hello. Can I help you?" Claudia Strife asked politely, as she turned from the sink full of dishes to face the Shin-Ra infantryman that had entered her home.

"Mom... It's me." Cloud said quietly, removing his helmet. He stared at the floor in shame. He had not only let Tifa down, but his mother as well.

"Cloud! You came home!" Claudia ran over to her son and hugged him tightly. "Oh look at you in your uniform! I'm so proud of you!"

Cloud shook his head. "I'm just an infantryman, Mom. I didn't make it into SOLDIER."

Claudia placed a finger over his mouth. "Oh you hush now, you are never a failure to me. You will make it one day, I believe you will." She said kissing his forehead.

Cloud wandered over to his bed and sat down. While his mother fussed over him. "My how you've grown! You are so handsome, I bet the girls never leave you alone." His mother said with a warm smile.

"Not really..." Cloud muttered quietly.

"There are a lot of temptations in the big city. I think I'd feel better if you settled down with a nice girlfriend." Claudia continued.

"You should have an older girlfriend. One that can take care of you."

"Not interested." Cloud shook his head. It would do no good to tell his mother that he already had his heart set on a girl. A girl that he had been thinking nonstop about since he left town.

After resting for a bit he was jarred awake by his phone buzzing. He had a message from Zack.

"Hey where are you?

Cloud! Sorry I missed your message earlier, I'd love to come meet your mom, but that will have to wait for now. Sephiroth wants everyone back at the mansion. We are going up to the reactor at dawn."

Cloud sat up and bid his mother farewell. "I gotta go, mom." He said with a bit of sadness.

"You take care of yourself. And never give up, Cloud. You are a fighter, you always have been. You can do anything you set your mind to if you just believe in yourself." Claudia said, giving her son one last hug.

Cloud nodded and put his helmet back on, heading outside to make his way back to the mansion. As he left he saw Tifa walking towards her house. She gave him a curious glance but shrugged and gave him a small polite wave.

Cloud waved back and turned on his heel to run back to the mansion before Tifa started asking questions.

...

Tifa raised a brow as the infantryman ran off. What strange behavior. Had she noticed that infantryman staring at her earlier, or was it just her imagination? It was hard to tell with that mask on. What was he doing in Cloud's house?

Tifa shook her head, it was none of her concern. Maybe it was official Shin-Ra business. She walked up the stairs to her room and paused. Had she left the door open to her room? She usually kept it shut. Tifa walked into her room and gasped. Her desk was a mess, her tidy stack of letters were strewn everywhere. Someone had been in here, and snooping! Tifa glanced at her dresser and saw the bottom drawer where she kept her undergarments in was open slightly. Tifa frowned as she looked in as saw someone had been pawing through it.

Tifa felt a flash of embarrassment and anger. Who would dare do such a thing? "At least he didn't take anything..." Tifa muttered as she placed everything back. She wondered if it had been that strange infantryman, or maybe she was just imagining things. Surely she had just forgotten to clean up earlier... Right? No one would go through her things.

...


End file.
